Avox: The Untold Story of Lavinia Tagaria
by Gamemaker John
Summary: There were simmerings of the revolution my whole life, simmerings of rebellion against my home, the Capitol. By the time I realized the truth about the Capitol, my life would never be the same again. Never. My name is Lavinia Tagaria, and though I may not have a tongue, I am going to tell my story.
1. Prologue

_There were simmerings of the revolution my whole life, simmerings of rebellion against my home, the Capitol. By the time I realized the truth, my life would never be the same again. My name is Lavinia Tagaria, and though I may not have I tongue, I am going to tell my story._

I grew up in the Capitol, in a large apartment complex nestled on the corner of Fortuno Avenue and Copia Street. My family owned the whole floor, three bedrooms, two bathrooms and six other living spaces. I had everything a young spoiled girl could possibly need. From the minute I woke up to the second I went to bed I was cared for. I had all the food I could eat, all the money I could spend, and all the places in the Capitol to experience.

And of course, the Hunger Games. My life revolved around the Games. One of my earliest memories was watching Enobaria rip out throats in her pursuit of victory. I was transfixed on the tournament: watching extensively, catching up with the victors, monitoring betting odds online. Every year, when that glorious time came around, I became obsessed. I couldn't take the excitement. Not that this was out of the ordinary; it's pretty common in the Capitol.

Right by my side as I waited anxiously until Day 1 of the Games was my brother, Jonathan. One of my earliest memories was him chasing me around with a plastic sword while a Career slashed at other tributes on the TV beside us. We grew up together; nothing could separate us. We even went to the same school, and for fours hours a day we struggled to learn reading and writing and math. But when we finally got home, we spent the rest of the day cruising through the TV, going to parties or taking a train downtown. My life was as perfect as it could be.

But then there was my father.

I didn't understand my father. As a child, he was what every dad was in the Capitol. He made us birthday parties and drove us to and from school. He found us great meals and took us to carnivals. Before our mother died, she made a ton of money as a stylist, so he had no need for a job. He spent all of his time with us, which drove Jonathan and I crazy at times, but we secretly loved it.

And of course, we watched the Hunger Games together.

It was one of our favorite pastimes. We would all make bets. Not for money of course, just for fun. We would always pick a favorite and then root for them the whole way through. Usually, one of us picked the winner. Of course, we tended to only pick those in Districts 1, 2, or 4, which gave us good odds. But whatever the case, we still enjoyed doing it.

We eventually convince my father to work part time as a scout. Scouting is a simple and easy job: to find and possibly help create the arenas for the Hunger Games. We thought he could give us the inside scoop on the arenas for future years. And we were right. For about a year after he accepted the job, he told us confidential information on arena terrain - whether it was rocky or swampy or forest or whatever. We discussed the implications of the arena extensively to one another. When he witnessed us gossiping about his job, I always saw him walk away with a grin.

But then...he changed. An unforeseen and unexplainable change.

The first time I noticed him acting strange was right after he returned from a scouting mission. I was ten years old. When he walked through the door I instantly ran to give him a hug.

"Daddy! Where'd you go? Any good arenas?" I yelled.

He groaned as I wrapped my arms around him. "Not now, sweetheart." he murmured, walking to his room. His still brown aside, he looked and moved like an older man, like he aged a decade in a year.

I backed up, confused. "What's going on?"

Without turning to look at me, he said, "Nothing. Just a long few days, that's all."

Even though I was ten, I knew my father better than that. Something was wrong. But before I could find out more, he walked into his room and closed the door.

"What happened?" asked Jonathan, taking away his attention from the TV.

"I don't know," I said. "Where did he go on his latest trip?"

Jonathan, who had already turned his head back to the screen, said, "I don't know for sure. I think he stopped in District 7 and then took a hovercraft to some caves nearby." I could tell he wasn't really invested. I didn't know why I was.

But what Jonathan's eyes missed, I picked up on. My dad was moody all week, spending most of his time in his bedroom or his study. It was a pity too, because we usually spent the week before the Games discussing our favorites and odds. And that year I had one person I wanted to win more than anyone: Finnick, my favorite tribute of all time.

The first day of the Games started. I had already seen all the interviews, all of the parades. Finnick was a fan favorite. I wanted him to win so badly. My heart beat with anticipation.

My brother and I were seated on the couch, ready to watch the ceremony. "Dad! Get in here! It's about to start!" I yelled at him.

After a few minutes with no response, I was about to go look for him...but then the tributes rose up on the screen and I was too transfixed to turn away. My mouth was agape as I saw Finnick, beautiful as ever, dressed in a sexy arena outfit.

Jonathan laughed at my expression, "You know, there's a name for what you are." he said. I didn't really listen to what was coming out of his mouth, instead focusing on Finnick. "You're a fangirl." He teased.

Just then my father came into the room. I took a second to look away from the screen. "What are you watching?" he asked.

"Finnick!" I screamed, acting like the ten-year-old I was.

"Turn it off." He said. I turned to him in shock. Instead of a joking laugh, he had a scowl plastered on his face. "Now."

"Why?!" Jon and i said together.

"Because," he said, fumbling for words. "Because, it's horrible."

"What are you talking about? The bloodbath is about to start! Finnick's going to kill-"

"Listen to me." He said, and he seemed on the verge of crying. "Turn it off now. You don't get to watch any more of the Hunger Games or the Victory tours or anything. It's all gone! No more!" As he talked, his gestures got more and more robust and exaggerated. His face turned red as he got emotional. "No more! None of it! Not in my-"

"Ugh, you're being so unfair!" I shouted. Just then, the gong sounded and the tributes rushed off to get supplies.

Just as Finnick found a knife and turned to a girl from District 12, the TV shut off.

"What?! No!" I said, my mouth open in complete shock.

Dad stood behind us, holding the remote. Fury ran through me. He was a stubborn man and I knew I wouldn't be able to persuade him otherwise. I ran to my room and watched it online. After the initial bloodbath (thankfully Finnick survived triumphant), Jonathan and I left the house, going over to my friend Julia's to watch the remaining days. As I left, I turned to get one last look of the scene. The TV was on again, but muted. My father's eyes were transfixed on the screen, watching Finnick spear another tribute through the throat. I secretly jumped for joy, knowing my favorite was one step closer to victory.

But my father could only stare in horror.

* * *

For the next few weeks, I avoided my father at all costs. He spent most of his time alone, so we left the house and attended parties or hung out with friends. After a day or two after his outburst, he lifted the ban on the Games, although we were careful not to watch them in front of him. Whenever I talked to my friend about how awesome Finnick's kills were, or gossiped about who we thought would win, he had this scowl on his face and would become moody and sullen.

I tried putting two and two together. Everything started when he went on a trip to the districts, which he typically doesn't do. His job usually entails looking in remote corners of Panem, where no one lives. But, for the first time I surmised, he went to the districts.

I told Jonathan about my suspicions, but he thought I was being crazy. Even though he denied my claims, I still somehow cannot drop my suspicions.

Months passed. The Sixty-Sixth Hunger Games started ramping up. My father had seemed to calm down about everything. We would never watch the Hunger Games together again. Whenever the Games came on, he would retreat to his room, unable to watch. There was an icy stillness about us. Watching the Games had always brought us together. But after his change, we became distant and unattached.

His behaviour mystified us, but we eventually became used to it. He was our father after all; we knew him better than anyone.

It was five years later when I discovered how wrong I was...

* * *

Next Chapter: Lavinia discovers more about her father, but is horrified by what she uncovers.

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**Thanks for reading! Please drop me a review! I am currently working on three fanfics right now, so whichever one gets the most reviews will be the one I update the fastest! That's my incentive for you to comment. I hope to improve with later chapters, so feel free to give me some feedback. Anyway, hope you liked it!**


	2. Chapter 1: Gunshots

**Hello readers! Thanks for the reviews, they mean a lot! Keep'em coming! This chapter has several references to my other fanfic, Annie's Games. You should check it out! These two stories take place at the same time, so you may enjoy reading both as I continue to update them. Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

It was that time of year: the Hunger Games. The day my life took a permanent detour was also a day of celebration for the seventieth episode of the famed ceremony. What was supposed to be the best week of the year turned out to be the worst day of my entire life.

"I think Sheen's going to win." said my friend Julia as she pulled live updates from her tablet. I was walking with a group of my friends through some city streets, just after school finished. We were anxious to get back home so we could start watching again. It was Day 5 of the Games. Thankfully, we didn't miss anything while in school. Earlier today a feast was announced, so school was canceled tomorrow. I thought school should be cancelled every day of the Games, but maybe that's just me.

"You just say that because he's hot." Arginus said.

I laughed. Julia shrugged, "So?"

"Whatever. But you're wrong, it's obviously going to be Thorn." Arginus said.

"No way!" I said.

"What? Yeah, it will be. He's easily the smartest guy, and he's great with weapons."

"Toren's pretty smart too." I countered.

"Yeah, but still stupid enough to try to betray his alliance on the first freakin' day. I can't believe he's still alive. He doesn't stand a chance against Mara and Thorn." Ariana said.

"And Annie." I corrected, remembering that Annie rejoined the Career alliance last night.

"She doesn't count. Toren could kill Annie in his sleep." Julia said. I had to admit she's right; Annie hasn't shown much promise in the Games, especially her weakness at the bloodbath.

Ariana spoke up, still on the topic of our favorite tribute, "What about Titus? That's dude's awesome!"

The three of us instantly shot her down. "Are you insane?! He's creepy! Did you see what he did to Joshua?" Julia said.

Ariana raised her hands in surrender, "Okay, okay! I just think he has a good shot."

Suddenly the four of us crossed a street, but not before a speeding police car cut us off. The siren wailed as the car zoomed out of sight.

"What's going on?" I said as I craned my neck to get a better look.

"I don't know..." Arginus said, "but I see a lot of Peacekeepers over there."

Just as he spoke, Peacekeepers poured out of trucks and cars nearby. They swarmed like ants to a massive building at the end of the street. I knew which building that was; everyone in the Capitol did. It was the Game Center, where all of the Gamemakers did their work of controlling the arena.

"What is going on?" I said in wonderment. Never before had I seen something like this. The Peacekeepers, dozens and dozens of them, made a perimeter around the building. They had guns out and shields up. All of the people around them backed away. As I watched, more and more cars showed up. A hovercraft swept the air.

"Hey, Lavinia." Julia said hesitantly. "Isn't that your father's car?"

I looked to where she was pointing. Yeah, that was my dad's car. A Peacekeeper was searching through it, his motive unknown. He pulled out a bunch of papers and ran off to his ranking officer to give it to him.

What was my father's car doing there?

"Let's get out of here." I said.

"But-" Ariana said.

"No, we need to leave." I was firm. Something wasn't right about this. Not at all.

The four of us walked away quickly. We turned the corner and the street was out of our view. But I couldn't shake the bad feeling I had. As the other three turned back to gossiping, a growing sense of dread overcame me.

I realized I was at my apartment. "Okay, guys, looks like I have to go."

"Bye!" the three of them said.

Julia shouted out just as I entered the building. "Wait, you're coming to my house tomorrow for a feast party, right?"

I turned to face her. "Yeah, sure. Wouldn't miss it. Finally we'll have some deaths." I said, not being able to wait to see some Careers kick ass.

"Okay, bye!" Julia, Adriana, and Arginus turned to walk to their respective homes.

The elevator ride up was fast as always. I got to my floor and the elevator scanned my thumbprint. It beeped and opened the door to my level.

"Dad?" I shouted, knowing he was home. Jonathan was still at his friend's house, probably making some bets on the Games. That idiot skipped school again today. Whatever, it's not like he's going to learn anything anyway.

Hmm...my father didn't answer. I wondered why he wasn't home like he usually was. Could it be because of his car in a weird place? Surely he just took public transportation home or he could have just walked.

"Heeeeellllo?" I called. I turned on the TV. Caesar was on, discussing betting odds and other things. Nothing changed much. I noted that Mara was still the highest contested tribute, with Thorn, Toren and Sheen right behind. Annie and Sasha were way low on the list. Holly had jumped up a few places and was now in front of cannibalistic Titus.

I thought about my father again. The Hunger Games were going on, something he always acted weirdly about. Could that possibly-

I jerked my head to side as I heard a loud thump from another room. It sounded muffled, like it was from closed doors. All of the doors were open, except for my father's study.

I stood up and turned off the TV. I stared directly at the door. There it was again, the same noise. Except this time it was accompanied by a human voice. I couldn't make out the words...it didn't sound normal.

Could it be...a moan of pain?

Panicked, I walked across the spacious room. I put my hand on the handle. Sounds were coming from the other side. My stomach sank with fear. But I was being was there to fear? What could possibly hurt me in the Capitol, the safest place in Panem?

I opened the door.

Two Peacekeepers, menacing expressions on. My father, beaten and bloody. Hands curled into fists. A pistol loaded. Furniture smashed. Blood everywhere. One of the men turned to me. Our eyes locked.

"Lavinia, run!" My father screamed. I stared at him, his nose broken and blood splattered on his face. "Now!"

I moved like a cornered animal. I turned and sprinted as fast as I could. I could hear the man closest to me taking pursuit. I jumped over the couch, knocking over a table. I looked behind me and saw the man catching up. My body felt like pure adrenaline. I didn't understand what was happening. I had never been more confused...or more afraid.

So that was what tributes felt right before death.

I ran to the door and frantically rushed to open it. I had my hand on the handle when the Peacekeeper got me.

"NO!" I screamed. His body slammed into mine and I hit the door. I felt my hands being forced behind my back. I kicked and struggled, but his body weight kept me in place. His fist connected with my neck as he tried to keep me still. Pain exploded in my head. I started to scream.

"STOP IT! STOP!" I begged, tears flowing down my face. "NO!"

He forced my arms behind me, not bothering to relieve any pain. My arms felt liked they were being forced out of their sockets. He quickly tied my hands together with some sort of handcuff.

"Lavinia!" My dad yelled. "Don't say anything to them! No matter what they do!"

"Dad!" I sobbed. "What's going on?!" I winced as my captor dragged me over to the study. My father came into view. The two Peacekeepers had been beating him...badly. He was on the ground, slumped over from pain. It must have been going on for quite a while.

I whimpered as the man tossed me away. I tried not to yell as I hit the ground. The Peacekeeper kept an eye on me, leaving no possibility for escape.

"Tell us what you know." The demand hung in the air as my father stared down the Peacekeeper.

"Tell us what you know." My father was determined not to say anything.

"Daddy," I said, trying not to break down. "Please, what's goi-"

"TELL US WHAT YOU KNOW!" The man said, punching my father in the stomach. My dad slumped over on his side. I could tell he wasn't budging.

The Peacekeeper closest to me grabbed my hair. He jerked me over to him, dragging me on the ground. He pulled out a gun.

"NO! Please, no. I'll do anything. STOP!" I screamed. The Peacekeeper gave no notice.

"Tell us what you know. Give us names." He said calmly, staring into my father's eyes.

My father's eyes were rock-solid, betraying nothing. But when the gun was drawn, I saw something.

I saw fear.

"Tell us who the others are," He said, "Or the girl dies." He pointed the gun at me.

My heart stopped. "NO! PLEASE!" I screamed. I started kicking and squirming to get free. But the man's grip was too strong.

My father was starting to weaken in resolve. "No, stop. She has nothing to do with this!" he spoke with ferocity.

The man cocked the pistol and put the gun on my temple. The metal was cold against my skin. I sucked in choking breaths, knowing that my time could be up.

I was helpless.

"Five." The man said.

"NO! STOP IT! PLEASE! I WON'T SAY ANYTHING!" I shrieked, sobbing from panic and terror.

"Don't do this!" My father warned.

"Four."

"PLEASE JUST TELL THEM WHAT THEY WANT TO KNOW!"

"You're making a mistake!"

"Three!"

"Just stop."

"TELL THEM!"

"Who are the others?"

"Tell us!"

"STOP!"

"Two!"

"DADDY!"

I closed my eyes for what I was sure was the last time.

"ONE!"

He squeezed the trigger.

I heard two gunshots. My father grunted. Shouts of pain. I heard liquid splatter across something. More shouting. Another gunshot. A thump as the Peacekeeper behind me fell down.

I opened my eyes.

The man who was holding me in place was on the ground. Blood was around him, pooling around his chest. There were two bullet wounds there.

I slowly turned my head to the side. My father was holding a gun, the one that the other Peacekeeper was holding. There was a body next to him. A dead one. Blood was pumping out of the hole in his forehead.

I was in shock.

"Lavinia, baby. I'm so sorry." My father came over to me and enveloped me in a hug. "I never wanted this to happen to you."

He fumbled with my handcuffs until they fell off. I rubbed my wrists. I didn't say anything. It was too surreal.

He gripped me around the head and held me up. We looked into each other's eyes. I finally spoke, "What's going on, dad?"

He smiled slightly. "There's so much I wanted to tell you, baby. I've kept so much from you. So much. But I need you to be strong, okay? I need to you to. I know you can do it. You're a strong girl."

I nodded. It was too much to process.

"I know you're scared, and I know that you're confused. But we have to move; we're not safe here. We have to fine Gamemaker Maximus. He's the only person we can trust. Okay? When's Jonathan coming home?"

I didn't speak for a second. "Any minute now, I think."

"Okay, good, good. We need to wait for him. Okay, Lavinia?" My father looked at me and brushed off my tears. "You're being so brave right now. I will explain everything later, okay? I just want you to know that I lo-"

BANG!  
The gunshot was louder this time, more deafening. I looked to the source of the discharge. The Peacekeeper laying on the ground with bullet wounds in his chest. The one whom I thought dead. The one with a gun still gripping in his hand. The gun pointed directly at my father's head.

I looked at my dad. I stared in horror at the wound. I had seen countless deaths before. I watched children die and die. I've cheered when stabbings happened and laughed at beheadings. But nothing, nothing, could have prepared to at the blood dripping from the hole in the middle of my father's forehead.

My father fell to the ground.

Dead.

* * *

Next Chapter: Lavinia tries to deal with her grief as she searches for answers.


	3. Chapter 2: Shock

Dead people.

Three of them in fact. My father was on the ground, a bullet hole in the middle of his forehead. A Peacekeeper was next to him; the blood was dripping out of him. And the third...well I supposed he wasn't dead yet. Moments ago he had shot the my father's fatal blow. The second Peacekeeper dropped the gun from his hand as he continued to bleed out. His rasping breaths became further and further apart the longer I waited.

I looked at my hands. Splatters of blood covered my palms. I knew not whose it was; I had three possibilities, all of them equally horrible. I wiped my hands on my pants, but the damned spot would not come out..

My tears were all gone; I had none left to cry. My face was blank. I surveyed the scene with little empathy. My brain wasn't functioning properly.

I sat in the corner of the room and cradled my knees to my chest. I rocked back and forth. Back and forth. Back and forth. Not one sound passed from my lips. Not one tear rolled down my cheek. Nothing but the gentle sway as I went back and forth, back and forth.

The silence was broken by the door slamming. "Lav, you in there? Turn on the TV, Toren's about to-What happened here?!"

I heard him search through the broken glass and furniture. He continued to shout out my name, as well as my father. He discovered the table knocked over and the blood drips on the floor. There were footsteps anxiously pacing as he looked for his family.

I heard the handle turn to the doorway to the office. The door opened. I heard nothing except a sharp intake of breath. I saw nothing; I stared at the ground where the blood was slowly seeping into the floor.

I saw nothing. I heard nothing.

"Lavinia." He said. "Lavinia! What happened?" He rushed forward to a corpse, trying to see if he was still alive. His hand at the pulse, he discovered the truth. "Dad!" He started to shake the body. He called out his name. He pleaded for him to wake up.

But nothing happened; dead is dead.

Again, a door slam. Jonathan stood up suddenly. "Who's there?" Nothing but muffled grunts and footsteps answered him. He picked up a gun from the ground, one of the Peacekeepers'.

"Lavinia, you have to tell me what's going on!" Jon pleaded, tears now furiously pouring out of his eyes. I stared straight ahead. My lips made no movement. I was a statue.

The door to the office opened suddenly. Jonathan turned to the people coming in and pointed his gun at them. He opened his mouth to speak, to demand answers. A bullet was fired and my brother fell to the ground. The gun tumbled out of his grip. He didn't move again.

Men stormed into the room. I heard nothing but noise as they barked commands at each other. More than a dozen of them, all combing the room. They knelt by the bodies and felt for pulses. By the shaking of their heads, I could tell that all three were now dead.

The men in white uniforms, uniforms identical to the ones on the dead men, searched the room. They opened drawers, checked wastebaskets, emptied compartments. Not one piece of paper was left unaccounted for. Still, they took no notice of me.

But then, someone stopped in front of me. I looked forward, noticing only the shoes of the person. Black heels, not the boots that the other Peacekeepers had. More femine.

The person knelt down. I dimly realized it as a woman. She swept her blond hair behind her ears as she read information off of a tablet. I recognized my face on that tablet.

"Lavinia. Lavinia Tagaria. My name is Agent Grayson." She held out her hand.

I did nothing.

"I need you to tell me what happened here." Grayson continued.

It was too much for me. I looked up suddenly, the first movement I made in what felt like hours. I saw my father's blood, Jonathan laying on the ground, Peacekeepers storming my home and tearing it apart. I began to panic.

"She's in shock." The woman said. She gripped my arms. I felt terror from it, from this person whom I had never met. I struggled to get free. Her grip was like iron. "I need a tranquilizer!"

My breathing rate doubled. My eyes darted from place to place, trying to escape. Everywhere were the Peacekeepers, staring at me. The guns on their hips, usually a reassuring sign, gave me a surge of terror.

I started to kick the woman, trying to get free. She grabbed my shoulders and held me down. A man came beside her and knelt beside her.

Suddenly my right hand escaped. I balled it into a fist and slung it at the woman. She fell on her side. I tried to get up, I was on my knees, my hands were free and I felt a twinge in my neck...and I suddenly felt...very...very...sleeeeeeepy...

...

I opened my eyes.

I was in a white room. The whiteness almost hurt my eyes as the brightness was extreme. I thought I was in a hospital. There were no doctors or medical equipment though. Just a cot, upon which I was laying, and a door. Nothing else.

I sat up and rubbed my eyes. I was still dressed in my clothes: neon green strapless top and orange pantaloons. My red hair was messed up, no longer in a coiled braid. I put it in a quick ponytail for right now. Hopefully I could get to some decent hair products before any of my friends saw me.

I still didn't know where I was.

Walking around, I looked for clues. Nothing. Just a cot. Wait, that wasn't completely true. In a corner of the room is a video camera. I stared directly at it as I wondered who was on the other side.

I went to the door and I tried the handle. Locked. I tried again and the door didn't open. I began to pound on it, hoping someone would hear me. Why was I in there?

Yawning, I wondered why I was so tired. My limbs felt lethargic and my senses were dull, like I had been sleeping for a very long time. I just woke up...but I didn't remember falling asleep.

Suddenly the knob turned. A woman entered, one who looked familiar.

"Hello, Lavinia. Do you remember me?" She walked towards me, talking in a soft voice, so as not to startle me. She was dressed in black, with a blonde bun on her head. Her eyes were a piercing green, staring right at me. But I ignored all of that at first; I was too busy looking at the gun in her holster. A gun...

That's when I remembered everything.

My father's death, my brother's shooting, Agent Grayson injecting me. All of it.

I backed away from her, a look of fear on my face. That was Grayson, the woman who was there when everything happened. The one who did this to me.

Agent Grayson started to talk, "Lavinia, it's okay. You've been in shock. We needed to tranquilize you to calm you down. Lavinia, listen to me."

"Where am I? What happened to Jon? Who are you? Why is my father dead?" I spat out my questions rapid fire.

"Jonathan is fine. We shot him with a tranquilizer, that's all. He pointed a gun at our officers, so we had to neutralize him. You are in-well, you'll find out soon enough. As I told you, my name is Grayson. I work for the Capitol." she said. She walked towards me, hands above her head like she was surrendering. I didn't care; that gun terrified me.

"What happened to my dad?!" I said.

"Lavinia, just calm down. You have to understand that you are completely safe here. No one is going to hurt you again." Grayson dodged the question.

"What happened to my dad?!" I shouted.

Suddenly everything just built up inside me. I had no idea where I was, no idea what was going on. I didn't know who this person was. Jonathan was missing. My father was dead. Once that was in my head, I couldn't get it out. My father was dead. He's dead, and he's not coming back. He's gone, forever.

Instead of anger, I simply felt grief. I sat down on the cot, my head in my hands. I wasn't in shock like before, no. I was present, in the moment. Instead of feeling nothing, I felt a massive weight on my shoulders. There was an aching pain in my chest every time I thought of him. It was just too much for me.

The woman put her hand on my shoulder. "Shhh...shh...it's okay."

The tears started to flow, just like before. I was too emotionally drained to hold anything back. I didn't know Grayson at all, but I couldn't stop weeping like a baby in her presence.

I stayed like that for a little while. I wasn't capable of much else.

When I finally sat up and dried my tears, Agent Grayson offered me a tissue. "Here." she said.

I took it gratefully and wiped my nose. I took some deep breaths to try and calm down.

"Are you okay?" she asked sympathetically.

I nodded. As okay as anyone could be in this situation.

"Now, Lavinia, I need your help. I need your help first, and then I will answer all of your questions. Okay?" Grayson looked me in the eye.

"Why should I help you? I don't know who you are." I said, remembering what my father said about not trusting anyone.

"I told you. My name is Agent Grayson and I work for the Capitol." she said, as if that was enough. I didn't respond, instead tried to stare her down. Grayson looked straight back at me, a stern look on her face. I didn't care; I wanted answers.

She sighed, and said, "You should help me because we know what happened to your father. Listen to me: I'm on your side. You have to believe me, I am looking out for you."

I believed her. I didn't know why, but I trusted her for some strange reason. I didn't think she was being dishonest, or holding anything back. She was on my side, I could feel it.

Suddenly I wanted to talk to my brother. I hadn't had any time to process anything, neither had he. My brother was my best friend. There was nobody in the world I wanted to see more.

I asked her about it, "What about Jonathan? Can I see him?"

She pursed her lips. "As soon as you answer a few questions, you can see him. Deal?"

"Promise?"

She smiled warmly, "Promise."

I felt relief. Everything would be better when I could be with my brother.

Then another thought came to mind. "Wait, one more thing." I said, "What happened to me, back at my...apartment?"

She said, "It's called shock. After traumatic events, it can occur to people who witnessed them. It usually wears off after a while."

I felt uncomfortable about that. She saw how concerned I look so she said, "Don't worry, it's totally normal. Happens to a lot of people."

I nodded again. I recalled something similar happening in the Hunger Games. Weaker tributes would stare into the distance after their allies were killed. Instead of fighting back, they broke down. It's scary to think that the same thing happened to me.

"Now, are you ready?" she asked.

I nodded again. I was ready; I wanted this to be over.

Grayson smiled and stood up while beckoning me to do the same. I stood as she opened the door. Outside, I saw a hallway. It was more of the same: white floors, ceilings, and walls. There wasn't really anything in it, just one of two people milling around.

I followed Grayson as she walked briskly down the corridor. There wasn't much to look at. Only after passing a few doors did she stop. She pressed her thumb to a keypad. The scanner beeped. The door opened with a click.

She ushered me into the room. It was more of the same. Instead of a cot, there was a wooden table with two chairs, one on each side. The rest of the room was empty. The only other thing that stood out was the opposite wall; it was just one mirror. I looked at my reflection as I sat down. I looked terrible.

Grayson took a seat opposite me. She took out her tablet and opened a document. She read off it for a moment, and then she put it away. Then she turned to me.

"Now, Lavinia. I am going to ask you several questions. Just answer honestly. Remember, you are completely safe here. Understand?"

"Yes." My voice echoed in the room.

"Are you ready for the first question?"

I nodded. I was ready for the questions because I just wanted this to be over. I was ready, I was ready to tell Grayson everything detail I knew.

I thought I was prepared, but nothing could have prepared for what she said next.

"At precisely 2:32 PM yesterday, a bomb was detonated remotely in the Control Room. The shrapnel left the building inaccessible. Fourteen people were injured and one is in critical condition. For three hours, Peacekeepers were excavating bodies from the rubble. Priceless equipment was destroyed. A fire started from the explosion, and consumed more expensive paraphernalia. It was absolute chaos, the likes of which the Capitol has not experienced for several years. My question is this." she paused dramatically, "Do you have any idea why your father would do such a thing?"

* * *

**Next chapter: Lavinia doesn't know whom to trust as the mystery deepens and her search for answers intensifies. **


	4. Chapter 3: Questions

There was a tense silence after the question. Grayson stared at me, unblinking. I believed she was joking or teasing. but nothing in her expression gave anything away. She was dead serious.

"I...um..." I stumbled, "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Yes you do." Her eyes stared at me with a cold tenacity.

"No, I don't. Dad would never do such a thing." I said. "He wouldn't!"

She peered at me for a long second, her eyes squinting. I gulped nervously.

Then she reached in her pocket. "You don't know, do you?" She pulled out a remote control.

"No, I don't." I said, thankful that she believed me.

"Then I am very sorry about this, Lavinia." She pressed a button on the remote.

Sorry about what? What does the button do?

A loud beeping sound made me turn my chair around. I saw the wall behind me light up into a TV display. A large image filled the wall, an image I recognized it as a narrow corridor. Several men and woman walked through it, talking amongst themselves. They wore Gamemaker robes...that must be the Control Room, where the arena is manipulated by the Head Gamemaker.

I saw the clock in the lower right hand corner. It read half past two. Grayson said the bomb went off at 2:32.

I braced myself for what I knew was coming.

As I watched, a massive explosion blasted on screen. It started at the far end of the hallway, heading towards me with fire and debris and shrapnel. Two women in the hallway dove into a doorway to avoid the blast. In seconds, all I could see was darkness because dust covered the camera. As the smoke started to clear, I saw people begin to stand up and walk away in fear. I noticed with horror that one man was wet with blood.

I shut my eyes, trying to ignore the tragedy. "That doesn't prove anything!" I say, my eyes still closed.

"It proves that a bomb did indeed go off." she countered.

"Yeah, but what's my father got to do with it?!" I said. A horrid thought struck me. Mr father's car. I found my father's car parked outside the Control Room the day...the day he was killed. But that's just a coincidence.

Agent Grayson pressed a few buttons on her remote. The image on the screen changed to surveillance footage of the exterior of the building. As I watched, a man exited the Control Center. He talked quickly into a headset as he looked over his shoulder. He was moving at a fast pace, nervously pushing people out of his way to move quicker. He looked towards the camera suddenly, and I got a glimpse of his face.

It was my dad.

That's when the bomb went off. A large smoke cloud blasted its way in the building, far from view. It was on the east wing, while my father escaped through the western gates. I heard screams and shouts as people began to realize what was happening. A panic quickly spread and everyone started to run away, my father among them. A Peacekeeper car pulled up and the men inside began to sprint towards the Control Center. My father looked around for his car, but with the large crowd and the police in the way he was simply cut off. He ran away on foot into a nearby alley.

The video ended. Grayson looked at my with triumph in her eye.

"That...that doesn't mean anything!" I spluttered.

"No?" she asked. She rewound the video. The crowd on the screen went from frenzied and panicked to placid and calm. The Peacekeepers drove away. The explosion shrunk until it went back to normal. My father walked backwards until he entered the building again. She paused it there.

"Look what your father's holding. There, in his hand." I looked at the footage. Grayson expanded the screen until I got a better view. My father held a slim white device.

"Now watch what happens. Keep your eyes peeled on his hand." she commanded.

The video played again. As I watched, my father pressed the side of the device. There must be a button or something. Instantly, the explosion occurred. The delay was undeniable.

"That machine is called a remote operator. They are fairly common in District Three where they are made, but they are easy to find here. That device is capable of remotely activating a chain reaction in something like...oh, let's say a bomb." she grinned suddenly. "The evidence is unmistakable, Lavinia."

I couldn't believe it. It must be a mistake. A coincidence. A screwup. Something to explain it.

Grayson held no such qualms. "This brings me back to my original question: why would Mr. Tagaria do this?" she asked.

I had no idea what to say. It was simply too overwhelming.

"Has your father ever voiced opinions against the Capitol?"

"No."

"You sure?"

My father would never watch the Hunger Games. He would retreat to his room instead of watching. He muttered rude things about President Snow under his breath.

I said nothing.

"Lavinia," Grayson said, moving closer towards me. "Your father is a traitor to the Capitol, to Panem, to you, to your brother, to President Snow, to every single person living within this nation. I-"

"No he's not!"

"Yes. He is. Would you like to review the footage again? I can turn up the volume, make it easier to hear the screams." I was silenced. Grayson had a coldness in her that I didn't like.

"As I was saying," she continued, "Tell me anything unusual about your father. Did he meet with strange people, did he have weird habits? Did he ever say anything treasonous about the Capitol? Anything at all?"

"The Hunger Games." I replied flatly.

"What of them?"

"He wouldn't watch."

"Curious. Why ever not?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. He tried to tell Jon and I not to watch them. Whenever they came on, he left the room." I looked down. "He never even gave us money to bet on 'em or anything."

"Good. Good." Agent Grayson's voice was reassuring.

I could tell she wanted more. "It started when he went on a scouting trip."

"He worked for the Gamemakers?"

"Yeah. He started when I was seven...maybe eight years ago."

Grayson turned to look at the mirrored wall with a gleam in her eye. She turned her attention back to me as she said, "Do you know where he went?"

I shook my head. I couldn't remember.

"Try to remember, Lavinia. Did he go beyond Panem? The north? The islands past District Four? The desert below District Ten? Between the Districts?"

I shook my head at all of them.

"The districts themselves?"

Something in her voice made me wonder if this was the answer she'd been looking for all along. I said, "Yeah, I think so."

"An outlying district or an inlying one?" was her next question.

"Outlying, I think. Maybe District 7." I said. Something about that district sounded right to me.

Grayson seemed pleased. "After your father returned, did you see anyone else in your home?"

"What do you mean?"

"Was there a meeting of some sort? Or people who came in for an unusual reason?"

I couldn't recall anything like that. I shook my head no.

"Nothing? Would your father vanish for long periods of time then?"

That did sound familiar. "Yeah, I think so."

"Where did he go?"

"I don't know." I said.

"Okay, last question for now, and then you can see your brother." Grayson said, "What happened before we got to you. Walk me through what happened."

I don't want to talk about it. Not at all. Talking about it would mean revisiting it, which would mean feeling the pain all over again. But if I do this, I can see Jon.

"I came home after spending time with some friends." I began, "I walked in and saw the two Peacekeepers with my father. He was beaten...bruised...I saw blood everywhere. I tried to run but-" I covered my face with my hands. It was too much; I wanted to forget it all.

"Go on." Grayson encouraged.

"But one of them grabbed me. He put a gun to my head. He told dad that they would..." The next words were hard to say. "he told dad he would kill me if dad didn't tell them what they wanted to know. They kept asking him, over and over and over."

"What did they ask?" Grayson cut in.

I paused as I consider it. "'Who are the others?'. That was the main thing: 'who are the others?'"

"And," Grayson said, "What happened next?"

"Well, dad didn't tell them what they wanted to know. They were about to kill me, but he shot them...I don't know, he must have grabbed a gun off of one of them. They were both shot. Then he came over to me and hugged me and told me to get out of there and then..." I choked up.

"Then he was shot." Grayson said bluntly.

I nodded.

"Now Lavinia, and this is very important. Did Mr. Tagaria say anything to you before he died? Anything about where you would go? Anything?"

I know you're scared, and I know that you're confused. But we have to move; we're not safe here. We have to find Gamemaker Maximus. He's the only person we can trust. Okay?

Those words popped into my head instantly. I remembered how my father said them, how he looked me in the eye and told me not to be afraid. Those were some of his last words.

I came back to the present, to where Agent Grayson was still waiting for an answer. I opened my mouth to tell her about Gamemaker Maximus...but something stopped me. I couldn't explain it. It was like she wasn't worthy of it. Like, it was something only my father and I should know. And he told me to trust no one.

No one.

"Go on, it's okay." Grayson said.

"I don't remember." I lied.

"Are you sure?" she said, staring intently at me.

"Yeah." I said.

"Lavinia, we're all friends here. You can say it." she said. She grabbed my hand and patted it lightly. She smiled at me, but not with her eyes.

"There's nothing to say." I said.

"You're lying."

"No, I'm not!" My voice became a higher pitch. Damn. I was a terrible liar.

"Lavinia, a person working in my position has a small array of carefully sharpened skills.." she said. "Spotting a liar is one of them."

"What are the others?" I said.

"Don't change the subject." she snapped. "What did your father say to you?"

"Nothing."

"What did he say?"

The tone in her voice struck me like a blow. She sounded exactly like the Peacekeepers. She was interrogating me just like the men did to my father.

My resolve hardened. She would get nothing from me.

"Lavinia, you have to tell me."

I said nothing.

"What is it? A place? A district?" she said, "A name?"

There must have been something in my face that gave me away because she immediately pounced. "Who is it? Who?" she said.

I said nothing.

"This isn't a game, Lavinia!" her voice rising in anger. "This isn't something to mess with. This is life-or-death."

I said nothing.

"This is important." she said. "Those men, the ones that planted that bomb, they're not caught yet. They can do it again. They will do it again. Unless we stop them."

I took a deep breath. Grayson was different now. Instead of understand and kindness in her eyes she had anger. Grayson wasn't on my side, maybe she never was.

I suddenly felt an urge to leave the room.

"I want to see my brother." I announced, hoping to get away from her .

"That's not going to happen." she said coldly.

My mouth went agape. "You promised!"

"Yes, I did. And you promised to cooperate Lavinia." she said.

Grayson just sat there, staring at me. Not one muscle twitched. Her eyes were focused only on me, penetrating deep.

I looked away when I said, "I want to leave."

She smiled and gestured to the door."Go on then."

I stood up, the chair scraping on the floor making a loud noise in the small room. She was still staring at me as I walked over to the door and tried the handle.

It was locked.

"Unlock it." I said.

"No."

"Unlock it!" I screamed.

She said nothing.

I started slamming my hands at the door. I jimmied the door handle and pounded at the frame. It wouldn't open. I knew it wouldn't work, the door was solid steel and closed with an electric lock.

"Now Lavinia, I am going to give you one last chance to tell me who it is. If you do that, you can see your brother and leave." Agent Grayson said calmly.

I turned to face her, fear and anger making me bold. With as much spite I could muster, I gritted my teeth and spat out at her, "Go to hell."

"I was afraid it would come to this." she murmured under her breath.

"What are you talking about?" I asked.

She pulled out a small rod. It was just a plain gray steel cylinder, less than the size of her forearm. She placed it on the table in front of her. "Do you know what this is?" she asked innocently.

I shook my head no.

Graysons started talking, "This is commonly called a shocker. Peacekeepers use it to subdue crowds in the districts. It is very, very effective. Want to know why? See, when I press this button, electric sparks come out of this end. They are very painful, often to the point of loss of consciousness. Death is even recorded from prolonged exposure."

Agent Grayson reached out one small dainty finger and touched the button. Once she made contact, blue sparks began to fly from the tip of the device.

I backed away in fear.

"Oops." she said sadistically. "Looks like I've touched it."

She took the weapon in her hand and approached me. The electricity surged through the device, more and more sparks flying from the end. I knew exactly what she planned to do.

I turned around and started to bang on the door. I hoped someone, anyone would hear me. My palms became raw and numb but I kept going.

"HELP!" I screamed. "PLEASE!"  
I started to kick the door out of desperation. I heard behind me, "No one can hear you."

Grayson was right behind me. She took her time, knowing there's nowhere I can run. She enjoyed watching me squirm in fear.

"PLEASE HELP ME!" I screamed.

I felt her hand on my shoulder and braced myself for the agony that was sure to follow. I heard the malignant sparks, only inches away from my neck...

That's when the lights went out.

* * *

**NEXT CHAPTER: Lavinia tries to find her brother in the ensuing chaos and seeks a new ally.**


End file.
